Hunting for danger: Three Northern California abalone divers killed over the weekend in separate accidents

Even after 40 years of diving along the North Coast, John Corbett said he was shocked Monday to hear that three recreational divers died in separate incidents over the weekend while hunting abalone along the coast of Sonoma and Mendocino counties.

The deaths are a sad reminder that even the best conditions can quickly turn deadly, Corbett said.

"The ocean was just gorgeous this weekend," the Eureka Pacific Outfitters employee said. "There was a two-foot swell on Saturday and a four-foot swell on Sunday. It was just a really calm ocean, great conditions."

The Press Democrat reported Sunday that a low tide drew divers out to beaches over the weekend to search for the elusive mollusks.

The body of a 66-year-old retired Pacifica firefighter was found on Saturday afternoon off Shell Beach in Sonoma County.

Cedric Collett, a strong swimmer in good physical shape, had been diving with a friend but didn't resurface, the newspaper said. His body was found still in his weight belt, which is used to help a diver stay submerged while prying abalone loose from rocks.

On Sunday morning, several divers helped pull 36-year-old Kenneth Liu of San Francisco to shore after he got caught in a rip tide off nearby Salt Point State Park, but he couldn't be revived, the newspaper said.

Several hours later, an unidentified diver was found dead north of Fort Bragg at MacKerricher State Park. U.S. Coast Guard Group Humboldt Bay Lt. Keith Roberts, part of the crew that responded to the call, said that by the time the helicopter arrived, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office was working to recover the body.

"He was found 15 feet below the water, wedged inside a rock tube," Roberts said. "They only found him because he was on a line attached to a buoy."

According to Sonoma County Sheriff's Office Deputy Henri Boustany, the surf was pounding rescue crews who responded to the three distress calls.

Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Mike Fridley said the sheriff's office also received a report Monday at about 2:30 p.m. of a missing man who went abalone diving near the Punta Gorda Lighthouse, about 12 miles north of Cape Mendocino. Fridley said the man was eventually located uninjured.

Since the early 1990s, dozens of people have died in their quest to collect the prized sea snails, making it one of California's most hazardous pursuits.

Brian Andros, a zoology major at Humboldt State University, said he thinks the dangers of free diving can combine with a general lack of education to make the hunt a deadly one. For starters, abalone divers aren't allowed to use air tanks under California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations.

"You have to free dive," he said, "because if you use scuba gear, there is really no challenge."

Andros, who has been diving for two seasons, said although he was already scuba certified, he never took a class on free diving. The 23-year-old said he mainly just learned from his friends.

"Yeah, I have been afraid," he said. "It can definitely get a little hairy out there. But you just have to figure out what works for you. You just have to get in and get out as quickly as you can manage."

Corbett, who also has 35 years of commercial diving experience, said while Mendocino and Sonoma counties are the preferred abalone diving locations, there are many divers in Humboldt County.

"Visibility is a lot better in the Fort Bragg area, and the abs are more abundant, but we do have abs up here, from Trinidad up to Crescent City," he said. Corbett said he has seen an influx in the number of divers since commercial abalone diving was closed in Southern California more than a decade ago. Deaths aren't uncommon, he said, especially at the start of season, which runs from April 1 to the end of June.

There are a number of things new and seasoned divers can do to keep themselves safe in the water, Corbett said. The most important: Always dive with a buddy.

Another good tip for those just starting out is to visit a local dive shop, he said. Employees familiar with diving in the area can likely point out hazards to avoid. Before a diver jumps in the water, Corbett said, they should also take time to study the water.

"Really, you should take about 15 or 20 minutes and just study your dive site," he said. "See what the ocean is doing, how big the waves are, observe any rip currents and make a plan to enter and exit the water safely."

If you happen to find yourself in a bad situation, Corbett said try not to panic. That's especially true if you find yourself caught up in a rip current, he said.

"That's when bad things can happen," he said. "If you are able, catch your breath and sit and float on the surface for a few moments. Observe your surroundings and try to figure out an exit."

Corbett said divers trapped in a rip current -- a strong channel of water flowing seaward from the shore -- can't swim straight back to shore. Instead, they should swim parallel to the shore to get out of the current.

One last tip from Corbett: Wear a knife.

"I always wear one," he said. "I keep it strapped on the inside of my calf. I don't wear it so I can stab a shark or anything like that. It's to cut myself free."

There are a lot of places where divers can get caught in line or kelp, preventing them from resurfacing.

Although he knows diving is dangerous, Andros said the thrill is also what divers love. He said that -- and the taste of abalone -- are what bring him back to the water

"You just have to have respect for the elements," he said. "People die a lot of the time, because they are going out and saying, 'Oh yeah, no problem, I got this.' I say if it doesn't look good, don't force it. It's better to wait and dive another time, then to not dive at all."